Theft Through Seduction
by RabidAnimeGurl
Summary: A mysterious girl asks Sesshy for protection as she steals shards in not so appropriate ways. Wtrue intentions for Sesshy and the shards revealed, the story ends wa twist, setting a sequel to a SesshyRin romance. Please R&R. COMPLETED!
1. Kitty Cat Trap

A/N: Well, here is the beginning of my Inuyhasha fic. I've been working on this for quite a while. Haven't been able to devote to much time to it which is why I was so unwilling to post it. But upon reading reviews for my Trigun fic, I think its best that I put it up now so I can take peoples suggestions and comments into consideration. 

This is my first Inuyasha fic. I am a big fan of Sesshoumaru *drools*. I also like Sesshoumaru and Rin pairings so this fic will have a sequel (eventually...) with that subject. The story will eventually explain....just read! 

Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me! *bows to the great Rumiko Takahashi* I shall not claim your incredible work! 

Theft Through Seduction - Kitty Cat Trap 

It was a good hunt. The shikon no tama shard embedded in his left arm doubled his swordmanship skills. His victims stood no chance against his new found powers. They had yet another reason to fear this cat demon. He stretched out on a tree branch and stared up at the moon. Well satisfied from his meal, he began to contemplate about the jewel. He could only imagine how much more his skills could be increased with more shards, but for now he had to be satisfied. He need not become greedy, he was not the only demon who longed for more jewel shards. Not to mention there was rumor about a hanyou and a human girl trying to recollect the shards. He doubted they would get very far. 

Sitting up, he looked around below him when he caught a sound beneath him. His eyes revealed the slim form of a woman walking slowly,almost seductively, towards his direction. As she drew near more of her features were exposed. Half of her hair was up and the rest was left to swing at her hips. It's dark black color seemed only to enhance her soft violet eyes. Or maybe it was the contrast of the moon that drew him to stare into those depths, he couldn't tell which. Her regal face was smooth and full of color. Her lips seemed to demand to be kissed. Her white kimono, decorated with discreet violet flowers, left him wondering what he would find beneath it. 

Well, it looked like his night just got better. She would soon learn how unwise it was to walk the forest alone late at night. There were all kinds of wild demon lurking about, anxious to take a helpless human girl and make her their own. It was up to him to give her...protection. And as her payment for his hospitality, she would become his mistress for the rest of her life. Satisfied with his plan, he jumped down and landed smoothly on his feet in front of her. 

Stopping, she looked up at her guest. Glancing at his arms, she caught a faint glow of a light. Pressing her lips together, she looked back up at his face. "Is there something I can help you with?" 

"My dear lady, it is I who have come to help you." 

"I am in no need of any help." 

"Oh but I disagree. It is not safe to walk around late at night in the forest. Alone at that. Therefore I am taking it upon myself to escort you to your destination." He walked closer to her and placed his hand on her arm. He felt a small jolt of energy when he touched her and looked in her face to see if she had felt it. Her expression gave nothing away. He saw no fear, no concern, no type of interest. 

"I have no destination." She stared into his eyes and noticed they appeared to be getting heavy. On cue, she slid her gaze down to his lips and licked her own before returning her eyes to his. 

"Well then, I'll take you with me and make you mine. This way you will always be safe." She started to take a step back but he grabbed her and brought his lips to hers. 

* * *

  
"Are you sure the jewel shard is this way?" Inuyasha brought his nose to the air, catching the scent of a cat demon. He wrinkled his nose and hoped that this demon was the one with the shard. 

"I'm sure. But why couldn't we have waited until morning to go looking for the shard? I'm tired." 

"Quit complaining! We can't risk losing a shard once we find one. Besides I smell a demon up ahead and I think it has the shard." 

"Is it close by?" 

"Yeah, its pretty close. Hold on Kagome, I'm gonna pick up the pace." So saying, he began to run faster, moving quickly and quiety through the trees. 

"Wait Inuyasha, stop! I can't sense the jewel anymore. It vanished." 

Inuyasha haulted immediately, almost losing his footing when he landed on a tree branch. "What do you mean vanished? The shard just can't vanish, quit being stupid!" 

"I'm not stupid! The shard is gone!" 

"Maybe you're brains broken and you never sensed a shard. But we are sure as hell going to find out!" Taking off again, Inuyasha soon reached the demon and landed in a tree above him. "I think he's sleeping." He jumped down and landed soundlessly a few feet from the demon. Crouching down, he let Kagome climb off his back. 

"I don't understand...the shard was just here." 

Inuyasha sniffed, smelling a hint of human in the air. It was faint and he couldn't tell which direction it had gone. He leaned over the demon and sniffed him, picking up a small scent of the human. "That's weird. Hey you, wake up." He ruthlessly kicked the demon once, giving him help to wake up. 

The demon stirred and looked up, a confused look plastered on his face as he looked around. He looked down at his clothes, suprised to be fully dressed instead of lying half naked over the girl. Quickly, he rose to his feet and looked around him as if searching for something. "Where did she go? What did you do with her?" 

"I don't know where or who this girl is that you speak of. But if she was really here, I think she ran off with your jewel shard if you had one." Inuyasha looked pitifully at the demon, trying to control his anger. 

"The jewel shard!" Panicing, the cat lifted up the sleeve of his left arm, only to reveal that his shard was infact gone. "How could this be! She was here...right here, lying beneath me, begging for me to take her..." 

Kagome and Inuyasha both stared at the demon blankly, wondering how he could come up with such a story. "You were dreaming. You fell asleep and you let some human make off with the jewel before I could! How stupid can you be!" 

"That wench! She'll pay for this, I will hunt her down and make her pay!" The demon took his full form and disappeared into the trees, anxious to get his revenge. 

Disappointed that he did not question the demon futher, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Well, that was pointless. Lets go back to Kaede's, Inuyasha, I'm tired." 

"Yeah whatever, what a waste." Bending over again, he let Kagome climb on his back and took off. 

* * *

  
She watched, hidden behind the trees, as the hanyou and the girl disappeared into the night. The cat left in the opposite direction, eager to find the one who was responsible for his loss. He would have trouble finding her, no matter how hard he looked. He was nothing to worry about. The hanyou and the girl were a different story. But no matter, she would avoid them for as long as possible. The chances of them having another close encounter such as this would have to become slimmer, she would see to that. For now, there was no use worring about such things. Turning, she walked deeper into the woods, following the light of the moon. 

  



	2. Plans For Protection

Theft Through Seduction - Plans For Protection 

Crouching, she parted the leaves only slightly enough for her to see through. Quietly she watched as the hanyou, the girl, the pup and her target walked away. She had managed to avoid a confrontation with the hanyou and the girl thus far, but it was her luck that they would ruin her plans for the monk. She would never again come across a target what would be so easy to conquer. Seduction would not have been necessary to steal his jewel shards. She knew that the misguided monk had a fondness, even a weakness for women. He may have agreed to give her the shard in exchange for her body, though she never would have kept her end of the bargain,it would have been worth the try. But now, all was lost. 

As the monk walked into the forest with his new company, she decided she would be forced to forfeit this one shard. She could not risk the hanyou and girl finding the shards she carried. Though it may have been possible to bring the hanyou under her spell, she could not do it with the girl around. Surely they would find some way to prevent her from reaching her goal. No, a confrontation was not wise. So saying, she lept down from her tree and landed on the ground. There was nothing she could do, not to mention there was nothing to do. There was no sign of a shard any where within her surrounding area. She turned her head to the sky and sighed before heading to the mountain tops. Back to camp for another night of reflection which always brought on headaches. 

She walked quickly and quietly, thinking that she should have a nice bath in the hot springs. She deserved it after all, for all the hard work she did. Her feet and legs were sore from her constant walking. And she was so sick of hiding from these pathetic demons and humans. Her hands were scratched from climbing in trees. The constant use of her magic wore her out. Mentally she counted the jewel shards she had, knowing that it was not nearly enough. She cursed the demon responsible for her troubles. 

Her concentration was broken by the sound of feet trampling about. She tried to figure out how many as she climbed into the nearest tree. Closing her eyes she masked her scent under the smells of the forest. Slowly her breathing and heartbeat began to decrease. All was necessary in case a demon with heightened senses was nearing. She watched silently from the above trees as a lone demon walked towards her direction. She recognized him almost imediately as one of her victims. Guilt filled her heart, but only for a moment, as she realized she had no choice in her actions. She closed her eyes again and held a closed fist in front of her. Opening her eyes and her hand, she blew the contents in it into the air over the demon. 

He lifted his head and sniffed. Her magic took affect quickly and with heavy eyes, he collapsed into a deep sleep. Jumping down from the tree, she stood above him. She reversed her magic so that she would no longer haunt his dreams. She felt sorry for the poor bear demon. Hopefully, he would no longer pursue her. That would be one less demon after her. With one last look, she walked towards the mountains. 

* * *

  
A dark figure sat in the middle of a dark room, his eyes closed in concentration as he watched. Watched as his toy hid from yet another demon. Her increasing unpopularity was making it very difficult for her to keep track of shards. Word spread of a girl who traveled by day and by night to seduce any male with a shard in order to steal it. The spells she wove were powerful and long lasting. Each night, her victims were haunted with the agonizing pleasure of having her again and again. But they were only dreams and each awoke without a memory of her face and without a shard. It was a constant reminder of their loss and angered them more. Fueled by revenge, many banned together to hunt for her. None were having any luck. 

Despite their misfotunes, they were affecting her work. He watched day in and day out as more and more got closer to her. She was forced into hiding instead of pursuing the next shard holder. The more she hid, the less shards she was able to retrieve. Her magic kept her safe, fortunately, but he was getting sick of waiting on jewel shards. His greed for them increased each day. He felt foolish for not foreseeing the possibility that she could get into trouble. Being a demon himself, he would not take kindly to some lowly human stealing a shard from him. He almost sympathized with the demons, almost. But right now, he needed someone to accompany her on her travels now that any young female who traveled alone was in danger of being captured by a mob of foolish men. Opening his eyes, he sighed with disgust and disappointment. 

Who could he find to travel with her? It would have to be a male, but no males will trust her. It would be necessary to find a demon that was convinced that he could not fall under her spells. Still, the demon of his choice could not be too powerful for the girls magic. If worse came to worse, she might need her magic to escape him. This demon would of course have to be considerably powerful to be able to fight off any kind of demon. And perhaps he could figh a demon who would be willing to protect her in exchange for a few jewel shards. He of course have no intention of giving up a single shard, but that would be his little secret. 

He sat for a long time and even called upon a few servants to think of a demon who could fit his description. Finally he found the perfect one. 

* * *

  
The moon, full and bright, hung high in the air. It was a perfect night to confront him, she thought to herself. The sky was clear and the air was clean. The forest was illuminated by the light of the moon. It really was a beautifully perfect night. She had been trailing him for quite some time, learning what she could about him along the way. She knew enough now to be able to convince him to join her in exchange for jewel shards. But first she would test him. Already sweet smelling jasmine flowers were filling the florest floors. His sensitive nose would pick up the faint smell of a woman in heat. Would he succumb to the magic and dream of the woman who appeared to him, ready and willing? She doubted it, but the test was necessary. Silently she watched from the tallest tree in the forest as he neared her. 

* * *

  
"Lord Sesshoumaru, where on earth did all these beautiful flowers come from? They weren't here when we came this way." 

Sesshoumaru ignored his ignorant servant who revealed such a minor detail as if he wouldn't have seen it himself. He looked at the ground ahead of him, noticing that it appeared as though more and more flowers were blooming as he continued to walk. What was it, he wondered, that was causing this? Someone, he knew, was purposely controlling these flowers in order to distract him. Something beneath the scent was alluring, but did not seem completely natural. He could faintly detect the scent of something he had yet to identify. Looking up, he quickly swept his gave over the forest. He saw nothing and decteded no form of life that was worth his time. Whom ever was responsible for this would show himself sooner or later and would only find regret for disturbing Sesshoumaru. 

"Come Jaken, there is nothing to see here." 

Jaken, who had stopped to admire the flowers, quickly bounded toward his lord to catch up. "Yes M'Lord!" 

* * *

  
Nothing to see, she thought, a small smile spreading across her lips. She would certainly give him something to see. She knew such a weak trick would not work on him. Sesshoumaru was not someone who would easily succomb to something so trivial. There was more she could and would do before she was satisfied that he was the one she needed. 

* * *

  
Heat, he thought, suddenly he found himself the target of a woman in heat. The scent was carefully hidden beneath that of the flowers at first, as if the flowers alone would lead him to search her out. But now it was stronger. It tickled his nostrils, teased him and tried to heat his own blood. He could not tell if it was a demon or human who gave off the scent. That knowledge alone was somewhat alluring. He never cared for the smell a demoness or a human girl gave off when she was in heat. It was entirely too strong and desperate. This scent however, was different. Sweet was the only word Sesshoumaru could use to describe it. 

At his side, Jaken looked around quickly. He too could smell the seductive scent of a woman in heat. His eyes began to droop and his body began to feel heavy and hot. He was over come with a a sudden desire to mate. So over come that the first step he took to seek the woman out, was his last, for he collapsed to the ground in a deep sleep. 

Sesshoumaru glanced pitfully at his servant, wondering why he allowed such a weak creature to be in his presence. Though he had to use a small amount of effort, Sesshoumaru was able to resist the temprest's scent. He would not allow himself to succumb to the whims of a woman. Her scent became stronger as he realized she approached. She probably assumed that her target was now ready to mate, but he doubted Jaken was what she wanted. Still, it gave him the opportunity to wait and confront her. Hiding behind a tree, he stood silently and looked in the direction he believed she was coming. 

Bushes began to rustle. The scent, now stronger than before, remained sweet and more tempting than ever. The flowers too, increased their scent. Had Jaken not succumbed before, he surely would have fell now. The scents seemed to glide all over his body and into his nose, making him shiver along the way. Angry at his body for showing even that small sign of response, he struct the bushes several times with his whip. The flowers wilted away, their scents dying. There was no longer a trace of a woman in heat. Still, the scent of blood did not replace them. Realizing this, he stepped into the clearing when a figure appeared some feet in front of him. 

"Well done Lord Sesshoumaru, I am pleased you were able to resist my magic. You passed my test." 

  



	3. Potential Protector

Theft Through Seduction - Potential Protector 

Sesshoumaru slowly straightened his body as he acknowledged the visitor. She stared at him with calm violet eyes and a small smile on her lips. She smelled of the forest but mostly of jasmine. The combination slightly hid her human scent. Her appearence however, gave her away. Her hair was tied below her neck, revealing the human shape of her ears. Her eyes were normal by human standards. He was slightly annoyed by the disturbance in his travels by such a lowly creature. And whatever test she was speaking of, it ended now. When he started to speak, she interrupted. 

"Because you have passed my test, I would like to tell you about my propostion. Before you speak, hear me out, you might be interested." She waited a brief moment for some sign of acknowledgement, but he stood there quietly, waiting for her to speak. She pressed her lips together and went on. "I'm in a bit of a situation you see. Men, demons and humans alike, are after me for I have stolen jewel shards of the shikon no tama from them. I must collect the shards, for reasons I will not bother to explain to you because you would not understand, but these men are hindering my search. I spend more time hiding out than searching for the shards. This is where you come in." 

Sesshoumaru merely stared at the girl. He of course had no shards and if he did, he certainly would not allow some weak human girl take them from him. "If you were planning to take a shard from me, I have none and I don't think you would have been able to take it anyway. Therefore whatever plans you had end now - as well will your life." He took a step forward, his right hand drawn back preparing for an attack, when the air became crowded with flower petals. The scent bombarded not only his nose but his eyes, forcing them to close. When he opened them again, the girl was gone. Looking around he saw nothing and smelled her every where around him. 

"Please Sesshoumaru, calm yourself." Her voice echoed from some where in the forest. "Hear all I have to say before you try to kill me. I need you to protect me from those who seek me. In exchange for your protection, I will give you half the shards I collect when my journey is over. You may say that you have no use for the shards, but I disagree. With a shard you could posess Tetsuaiga, am I correct?" 

"How do you know of Tetsuaiga?" 

"Why does it matter? You will be that much closer to obtaining it." 

"Clever girl. But I no longer form alliances with strangers." 

"Yes, I heard of your misfortune with Naraku. This is the reason I tested my magic on you. I am only a mere Flower Goddess, my powers are no rival to yours or Naraku's. You were able to resist my magic so you have no reason to be threatened by it. Not to mention, I would never cross you." She jumped down from a tree and slowly began to walk to him. She stared at him with an expression that he himself would probably use. Her head tilted to the side in question. "So what is your decision?" 

He stared at her, considering. She was correct, he was able to reist her magic. But should she choose to, she could try to use the shards to over power him in the end. He did not trust her and she was correct in assuming it had something to do with his association with Naraku. The shards tempted him as it had with Naraku. He would be forced to be with her day and night, making it difficult for her to betray him. He disliked the idea of spending his time in the company of a human and disliked more the idea of protecting it. 

"I see you need more time to consider." Her voice was quiet and soft when she spoke. "If you accept, meet me at sunset tomorrow below the mountains east of here. We will begin our search for the shards and the sooner we get started, the sooner you will be done with me. If I do not see you there tomorrow..." she trailed off and looked away. "...I will try to find someone else. I hope to see you tomorrow my Lord." She bowed gracefully and respectfully. 

"What is your name?" He was suprised he cared to ask. 

A smile spread slowly across her lips and disappeared as she rose to meet his eyes. "Should you accept, you will find out. For my safety I must remain anonymous. Goodbye, my Lord." Turning, she walked away and disappaeared in the night. 

Jaken, who had awoken to hear most of the end of the converstation, stared up at his master. "Lord Sesshoumaru! You're not going to do as she asked are you?" 

Sesshoumaru watched her walk away, considering. "Silence Jaken. Your weakness has angered me already, do not push me futher." Turning, he walked away, leaving Jaken to scurry behind him, uttering apologies. 

* * *

  
The great demon lord stood for some time on a clif, staring down at the place in which he was to meet the girl, should he except her offer. It was unlike him to even consider such a thought, but again, the jewel shards tempted him. With them, he could rightfully claim what was his from that disgusting hanyou. He would be able to find an arm on his own that was not cursed, as was the one Naraku had given him. It was true she possessed no real threat, but he still did not trust her. He would need to see the shards she had collected before he agreed to protect her. He would make his decision then. 

He closed his eyes as the wind picked up, forcing his long mane to dance lightly in the air. He could imagine himself killing her, if need be. Shards or no shards, how powerful could a Flower Goddess be? He cursed his conflicting emotions. _ I, Lord Sesshoumaru, should not consider sinking so low for a shard of the shikon no tama,_ he thought to himself. Still, he had sent Jaken to find more about the maiden before he made his final decision. _Speaking of the rotten toad._ Jaken quickly rushed to his master. 

"I hope, for your sake, that you were able to find some worthy information. You have been gone all morning." 

"Forgive me M'Lord!" He bowed quickly before speaking again. "I was able to find information about her. She is a criminal of the highest crime! She has stolen many shards from strong and weak men alike. But her ways are distatseful. She uses her beauty to seduce her victims and some how places them under a deep sleep before they are even able to touch her. In their dreams, they say she allows them to mate with her over and over, but when they awake, they can't remember her face." 

"You gave in to her magic Jaken. Is that what you dreamt of?" 

Jaken looked down shamefully as his cheeks turned red. "Aye M'Lord, but it wasn't my fault! Her magic is powerul." 

"Her magic is only powerful to the weak. What else did you learn?" 

"Many of her victims are banning together in search of her. None have had luck but their quest continues. They are haunted by dreams of her every time they sleep." 

Sesshoumaru turned his back to Jaken to again look over the cliffs. Should he aid this woman in tortoring more weakminded men? He had to commend her, however, for he always believed that the weak paid for being so. It was possible that she held back her full potential in order to decieve him. But if that were the case, Jaken would not have fallen. He could tell that Jaken was not looking forward to seeing the woman again. Surely it would be torture for him. A slow smile crept across his face. It was time he stopped questioning his ability to destroy the girl if she chose to betray him. There really was no doubt. 

He lifted his eyes towards the sky, moving the hair from his face that the wind insisted on putting there. By the time he reached the valley plains, it would be sunset. "Come Jaken, we have someone to meet." 

  



	4. A Plan Set In Motion

Theft Through Seduction - A Plan Set In Motion 

It was drawing near and she could not have asked for better timing. If things worked out to her advantage, she would have another jewel shard and protection for Lord Sesshoumaru. Still, she had to quickly organize a plan that would not result in her demise and would incorporate all she had in mind. Leaning back against a rock and slipping deeper into the water of the hot spring, she played out in her mind what she wanted to do. It would be tricky and she had to be quick. She had no clue what type of demon was approaching or if it had good speed. Hopefully her familiarity with the area would work to her advantage. Rising, she walked to the shore, forgetting her doubts. After pinning her hair on top of her head, she began to dress as a fragment of the shard came closer. 

* * *

  
"Lord Sesshoumaru! Wait for me!" Jaken quickly scrambled down the trail behind his master, barely keeping his balance as he tripped over a rock. "You can't be serious about protecting this girl! Let her die by the hands of those she has wronged!" 

"So Jaken, you would have me pass an opportunity that would lead me to obtaining from my brother what is rightfully mine? This act of betrayel will result in your death." Stopping, Sesshoumaru turned around to face Jaken who immediately fell to the ground to beg. 

"No M'Lord! Thats n-not it! I just don't trust the girl." 

"Your trust is not necessary. Now, stop wasting my time or I shall have to kill you." Turning, he continued down the path. 

"Aye M'Lord!" 

* * *

  
She would play the innocent damsel, frightened by the threat of the almighty demon. At the rustle of bushes, she got into character and looked around nervously, quickly tying her obi. She turned in the direction of the nearest village when a figure appeared in front of her. 

"You really shoudln't be so far from the village, especially when you are in heat. Or maybe you planned it that way..." The demons eyes scanned over the womans body. She looked harmless and afraid, nothing like the description of the lone female many were looking for. 

She took a cautious step back and gulped, bowing before she spoke. "A-aaye. I have been unable to bare a child and was hoping a demon would be able to help." 

"Offering yourself to any male are you?" He stepped forward and grabbed her roughly. "Lucky for you I'm in the mood or I would just kill such a worthless whore." 

The body contact was all she needed. Her spell would not work unless she made him inhale polon. That option would only be necessary should Sesshoumaru not show. She let out a cry of pain as he dragged her against her body. Pulling her head back to avoid lip contact, she removed the shard from his forehead. Kicking him in the groin, she turned and ran off, sending a small amount of her polon into the air. 

_Here I come Sesshoumaru and if you're there, we'll see just how willing you are to protect me. _

* * *

  
As he reached the bottom of the mountain, a noise caught his attention. He stopped and stared in its direction. Bushes rustled, birds flew off to escape the mayhem, a tree was split in half. He could smell her in the center of it as she came closer to him. In an instant she burst through the shrubbery and her hair, wild and free, twirled about her as she skidded to a hault. Her chest heaved up and down as she sought to catch her breath. When their eyes met, her face lit up with a smile that sent a strange feeling to his stomach. Then just as quickly as it appeared, it was replaced with a look of fear as she took a step back from him. 

Sesshoumaru started to speak when her pursuer appeared. She turned to him, then turned back to Sesshoumaru, appearing as though she was trying to decide which path of death she should take. 

"Please, leave me alone, I've changed my mind." She backed away from both of them. 

"Wench, you're going to get what you've asked for." The demon took a step toward her then stopped when the other demon spoke. 

"Do not take another step toward that woman or you will regret it." Sesshoumaru wondered breifly what caused him to speak, but he knew it was obvious what the girl wanted him to do. 

"The woman offered herself to me first. You'll just have to wait your turn." The demon laughed and took another step toward the girl before he felt a sharp pain enter his back. He looked down at his stomach as a string of green light shot through it. As it disappeared, he collapsed on the ground. 

The woman stared down at the demon and walked around his body towards Sesshomaru. Upon reaching him, she bowed respectfully. 

"Was that another test?" He stared down at her curiously. 

Rising, she looked up at him as she gathered her hair in her hands and tied it at the nape of her neck. "Something like that. Consider it your first job as I retrieved a shard from that demon. I am very greatful that you agreed, you shall not regret it." 

"I should hope or you yourself may regret it." 

"I understand. Come, let us begin. The sooner this is over, the sooner we can return to our normal lives." After dusting the dirt from her clothing, she placed her newly required jewel shard in a pouch around her neck. "I haven't got a lead on another shard just yet so I hope you don't mind walking around aimlessly." 

Jaken, who had remained silent behind his master spoke up. "How dare you propose to waste Lord Sesshoumaru's time! You should already know where you want to go." 

The girl turned and eyed Jaken. "My dear hideous creature, it is not that simple. We shall stumble upon a demon with a shard eventually but I am only able to see a shard that is up close. Therefore I must observe any new powers in demons that are normally considered to be weak. Until them, I'm afraid we are left to wander. Are there any other questions?" 

"Just one." Sesshoumaru stared at her with his normal emotionless face, passing judgement. "What is your name?" 

"Oh forgive me my Lord." She bowed quickly. "I am Asami." 

The great demon lord stared at the harmless looking woman that so many were searching for. He unfortunately was interested in how she was able to evade demons after taking their shards. This mystery, like the one regarding his brother and his father's sword, stirred in him a need for answers. He would pursue until he found those answers, would he do the same with this human girl? Would he stoop so low? The look she gave him was much like his own, uninterested dominance. "Asami." 

"Yes my Lord?" 

"Nothing." 

"Well...if you don't mind, I wish to locate the nearest river. I am parched with thirst and hope to catch a fish to eat. My human weaknesses must be satisfied." Turning, she walked in the direction she came, waiting until Sesshoumaru was by her side before she set her pace. With this plan set in motion, she hoped that she would soon accomplish her goal. 


	5. Quack Quack Goes The Duck

Theft Through Seduction - Quack Quack Goes The Duck 

A/N: I didn't know that reviews were for grading my grammar and spelling...I've seen worse so... whatever. Anyway, this chap contains a lemon...the first lemon I have written so take that into consideration if you dislike it a whole lot. Thanks for the....three reviews. =). 

  
The moon hung low in the sky tonight. In its full glory it lit the sky in an orange color. She sat in the middle of a field on top of a small hill, staring up at it. Tonight was perfect for rejuvinating her powers. By the light of the moon the flowers she planted here would heal any and all wounds she recieved. It was a time for the flowers she so lovingly tended to became one with her body. She smiled up at the moon, happy to be a child of nature. With her hands on her legs she looked down and closed her eyes, praying for a successful union. As she finished, she placed the tips of her fingers in the ground she had watered earlier that day. As she lifted them, flowers quickly bloomed and a wind that hadn't been present before, swept over her. As it died down, her kimono was replaced with her furisode. She always enjoyed dressing in her formal white kimono with the jasmine she had styled on its surface. There were few spots on it that were totally white. The sleeves, she realized suddenly, were much like Sesshoumaru's. She had nearly forgotten him the moment she began her ritual. Pausing now, she looked over her shoulder to find him standing under a tree where she wanted to rest for the night. She knew he held his normal emotionless expression but wondered why he was looking in her direction. 

He watched her the entire time. Though he had no clue what was going on, he found that she appeared to be more beautiful than usual on this night. The moon shone on her face, highlighting all of its beautiful features. Her change in outfit only added to her beauty and he found, as her hair floated to the ground, that she was much more alluring with her hair down. She looked at him, as if she sensed him there. She stared at him for a moment, then turned to continue whatever she was doing. 

It had been five days that they have been wondering the countryside. Still they had no leads. He was torn between being annoyed and just not caring at all. The girl rarely spoke to him and he didn't mind at all. When she did speak, it was with the respect that a human should show a great demon lord. It pleased him to know she knew her place. Had she acted any other way, he would have killed her already. It suprised him that her presence did not bother him. He could not understand why just yet and it made him very curious. It irritated him that he wanted to know more about her and her reasons for searching for the fragments of the shikon no tama. 

Jaken appeared at that moment, interrupting Sesshoumaru's thoughts. He returned with branches and sticks to build a fire for Asami. It was quite amusing to see how the girls presence affected Jaken. The toad always lived in constant fear of his master but with the woman present, he was more jumpy than ever. He did all he could to stay away from her which resulted in running errands for her. His daily task at sunset was to begin a fire for Asami and fry her a fish he caught. Sesshoumaru wondered how she brought out the slave in Jaken without bringing out the complainer. 

As Jaken got the fire to start, Sesshoumaru sensed Asami returning. _Impeccable timing,_ he thought to himself. 

"There is a jewel shard headed in this direction." She knealed by the fire and held her hands out, warming them a bit. 

When Sesshoumaru nodded, Jaken began to act frantic. "What is wrong with you! Why don't you go after it right now? Quit wasting Lord Sesshoumaru's time." 

Asami only sent Jaken a blank look. "I am tired of you saying I am wasting my Lord's time. If I had indeed been wasting his time, he would have abandoned me long ago. Mind your mouth, toad, or I shall be forced to take action." 

Jaken quickly moved behind his master who was merely looking at the girl, not showing any of his amusement. "What is your plan then?" 

"I have no plan. I do not know if the holder is demon or human or male. I must know my victim in order to be sure that I will be able to take the shard from them." 

"Which direction is it in?" 

"East, near the waterfall." 

Sesshoumaru turned his head in that direction, trying to sense what was there. "Some kind of demon waterfowl." He wrinkled up his nose. "Male." 

"Hmmm...I'm sure you'll be able to tell more as we get closer. Jaken, stay here and keep the fire going. Lord Sesshoumaru." Turning, she walked towards the east. 

* * *

  
The smell of blood disgusted him. It was dried all over his body now as he had flown from the scene days, even weeks ago, as he was still high from his new powers. The fear he saw in the faces of those humans was etched in his memory. Now they new what it meant to be hunted. He had achieved his revenge for his kind. With the shard of the shikon no tama embedded in his chest, he was able to take on a human form and walk the land. But still, the water called to him. He was drawn there now, to the sound of the crashing waterfall. He swooped down and landed in it, turning to his human for to ensure that his body was cleansed properly. He muched prefered being a human than a duck. (A/N: A duck? Yeah...couldn't think of anything else). 

As he soaked, he stripped himself of his human clothes, tossing them on near by rocks. It wasn't until then did he see the woman step from behind under the waterfall. Wearing only her nagajugan, she revealed as much as she was trying to hide. But she sat under the waterfall and closed her eyes as she brought her knees to her chest. He stood, suddenly drawn to her, and began to walk towards her. The noise caused her to look up at him and his whole world collapsed. 

His body froze as their eyes met, never realizing until now how beautiful a color violet was. He closed his eyes, as if to block out the intensity, and opened them to find himself sitting next to her. He had no clue when he walked there, but he would not complain. In his heart he for some reason felt he knew this woman and that she belonged to him. Acting on this, he drew her with him out from under the waterfall and into the water. 

She looked up at him, her eyes full of need he could not explain, and rose on her toes to kiss his lips. He bent down slightly, returning the pressure as his hands slipped down to remove the nagajugan. Once the top part was removed, he slowly began to run his hands over her chest and stomach. His hands stopped now and then to mold her smooth breast to his hands. When a small groan escaped her mouth, his body began to work in overtime. 

Breaking the kiss, he pushed her against a rock and set his mouth to her neck. He found her taste incredible as he nibbled down her neck in fasination. Hungry to taste more of her body, he placed his hands under her butt and lifted her up towards him. Without hesitation, she wrapped her legs around his waist and arched her body towards him. His let his tongue slid down between her breast and over her stomach, pleased with the way her body shuddered in reaction. He flicked his tongue over one nipple, then the other, until they were taunt to his satisfaction. Placing his mouth over one, he sucked on it until she cried out in pleasure. 

Placing her hands in his hair she pulled his head up towards hers, assaulting his lips with her own. He placed her on her feet and began to pull off the bottom portion of her nagajugan. His body shuddered in anticipation as he lifted her from her feet once again. When her legs wrapped around his waist, he wasted no time in thrusting into her. He set his pace slow at first, but the urgency of her kiss made his head spin. Just when he thought he could take no more, he felt her tongue over his. In blind passion he pounded himself into her until he could no longer sense anything around him but her. He shuddered and yelled out as he released. He looked down at her to capture her reaction when his world turned black. 

* * *

  
Asami slowly slipped into the water as her prey lost consciousness. She caught him as he began to sink and took him to shore near a gathering of rocks. She lay him there, his lower body still in the water and removed the two shards from the shikon no tama in his chest. She smiled to herself, jumping back into the water for a quick swim. As she rose to exit, Sesshoumaru approached from within the trees. She turned her back to him almost immediately and began to ring what water from her hair. 

Sesshoumaru stared down at her, once again torn between emotions when it came to her behavior. Curiousity and anger. He was curious about the technique she used on the demon. As soon as they met eye contact, her eyes grew brighter and he feel unconscious almost immediately. Had she hid this power from him during her "test" in order to convince him to trust her? It also angered him that for a moment, a brief moment, as he watched from behind a bush, hidden by her magic, he was almost drawn in. He could not help but make eye contact as those her violet eyes flashed. He felt his body react and for a moment, a brief moment, he wanted to touch her. _I, Sesshoumaru... touch a human in that way..._ Now he sensed her body tense up as if she were afraid to reveal any part of her body. She was a very curious girl indeed. 

"It seems as though your powers have increased." 

She nodded in response and went to hide behind a rock to remove her nagajugan. "Earlier I was performing my rejuvanating ritual. My powers are their maximum when the moon is full." As she stepped from behind the rock, now in her kimono, she stared at him questionly. "You have doubts." 

"I doubt if I should continue to let you live." 

She shrugged. "Fair enough. I have done nothing wrong to die. You did not fall under my spell, even though our eyes met. But maybe it is not the fact that I am stronger than you thought that irks you. Maybe it was the feeling you felt from the contact." The expression she gave him was emotionless and soul searing, but she didn't wait for a response. "Anyway, there is nothing more for us to do now. We can return." 

"How long will he stay unconscious? I should kill him now and save time later." 

She shook her head, looking over at the sleeping demon. "I'm not sure he'll remember. He was affected by my spell rather quickly. When he awakens, it is possible that he will think he just dreamt it up. We shouldn't worry ourselves about him." She smiled sweetly at him as if encouraging him to ask another question. 

Sesshoumaru stared blanky at her for a moment. "What did you make him dream about?" 

"I don't control his dreams...I just give him an opportunity to let his fantasies take over. How would you feel if a beautiful demoness seemed to appear to you, ready and willing to do whatever you wish? That is the fantasy of many males and with a sufficient amount of magic, I can make it seem that their fantasies have come true." 

Poor weak males, Sesshoumaru said to himself. How disgusting, succombing to a mere human girl. He would never let a woman have such power over him. This woman...she acted as if she knew her place, but she did not. Someone would have to show her that she was no one's equal. 

"Hmph." Turning, he walked away, leaving her to run to catch up to him. 


	6. A Lesson Taught

Theft Through Seduction - A Lesson Taught 

Success. The plan was a success. He watched from behind the scenes as Sesshoumaru and his toy gathered more shards of the shikon no tama. Soon he would have enough to satisfy his desire. And with those shards he would no longer need to depend on a woman to gather them for him. He could almost imagine how much his power would increase. He only had to wait a little longer before his final plan was set in motion to attain his goal. _Asami, my pet, work your magic and bring me the shards._

* * *

  
Asami awoke quickly and sat up, leaning over to place her head in her hands. She closed her eyes and willed her heart rate to stop moving so fast. _It was a dream..._, she told herself, _ ...it was just a dream._ The images flashed across her memory has she tried to blot them out. _A dream..._ Was it? Even now, as she sat, her dream could be reality. The village may already be destroyed...the people... 

_ -Flashback-   
"You took to long Asami." _

"How can you say that!?" She stared up at the large demon that loomed over her. "It is not an easy task to find jewel shards! You fool, you could have waited longer!" 

In an instant his hand came down upon her, knocking her to the ground. "Bitch, watch how you speak to me. For your insolence, I will kill the remaining precious villagers and burn this town to the ground." 

"You musn't! I did as you asked, you have jewel shards. Aren't they enough for now!" 

He laughed as he grabbed her and tied her to a tree. "Of course not! Now watch as I destroy your worshipers!" 

She sat in the midst of it all, as he set the town ablaze. Villagers scattered, screaming, pleading for mercy. He didn't even spare the animals. Then he stood above her, laughing... laughing, as the jewel shards sparkled all over his body...the shards that she gave him...   
-End Flashback- 

Would he do that?, she asked herself. Would he destroy the village once she returned with the jewel shards? She wouldn't allow it. Some how...she would stop him... It was her responsibility to save the villagers, they counted on her and she would not abandon them in her time of need. But how...how could she save them? He had already proven that her powers were on match for him. There must be some way... 

Sesshoumaru appeared then, interupting her thoughts. He stared down at Asami. She looked vulnerable...not once over the past three weeks that they spent together did she ever look so vulnerable. He heard her heart race, her breathing increase, smelled the sweat and watched now as she forced her body to stop shaking. And he, Lord Sesshoumaru, had cared enough to come see what the trouble was. He cursed himself and didn't bother to ask what was wrong to prove to himself that he didn't care. 

She stood up quickly and stared at the ground with an empty look on her face. "Excuse me, I am going to go bathe." Then she was gone. 

_What is it that frightened you to awake, Asami?_ He damned his curiousity. But knew this the timing was perfect. In her vulnerable state, he would be able to teach her a lesson. Walking in the opposite direction, he went to seek out his prey. 

* * *

  
She couldn't get her mind of the dream. Was she still moving to slow? It was true that with Sesshoumaru by her side she was able to move more freely than she could before. But it didn't seem like it was enough. _Sesshoumaru..._she thought to herself. He was weakening to her powers. He could still resist but the more he got used to her, the more weak he would become. But it was still dangerous. She could tell that he was angry with signs of weakness, especially when he dealt with humans. His anger made him less pleasant to deal with. He would not accept her, even with all the respect she showed him. He was an incredible demon...powerful, wise, patient, and so sexy... If things were different and she knew him before...well there was no use dwelling in the past. She had things to do. 

So saying, she rose from her sun bath and began to get dressed. Her people depended on her and Sesshoumaru would not be so patient for much longer. It was time she pushed herself harder to locate form jewel shards. They would set off immediately after she returned. She turned and it was then she realized that she was being watched. Her realization was to late as the figure rushed at her, plowing her down to the ground. She let out a cry of pain as her hands were yanked over her head and pinnned to the ground. 

"Well, well, what do we have here?" 

"Who..who are you? What do you want?" 

"I am Kazuni and you, my sweet..I want you." He leaned down and sniffed her neck deeply, growling a little. "By your smell I can tell you are a probably some kind of nature goddess, a very arousing scent especally since you are in heat." 

Damnit, had she forgotten? She had been so distracted by her dream that she put herself in danger. "From your smell I can tell you are a tiger demon...But you don't usually have a human form." 

"Yes...I am borrowing this body for a while. Lucky for you though, my demon form probably would have killed you." He stroked his free hand across her face. "Lets stop delaying shall we? Your sent is driving me mad." 

She began to struggle then. "Get your filthy hands off me, you have no write to touch my body. I will not let you defile me." 

He chuckled as he held her down. "It doesn't look to me like you have a choice!" He grabbed her breast roughly. "So stop struggling will you?" Then he crushed his mouth to hers. 

She bit his lip with all the force she could manage and began to kick her legs. When he lifted his mouth from hers, she screamed, hoping Sesshoumaru would come for her. _He'll come, won't he? I hired him to protect me..._ She wrestled with the demon as he tried to rip off her kimono. She tried to use her magic on him but every time she concentrated enough, his hands moved to some private part of her body. When he kissed her roughly and moved his hand between her legs, she managed to kick him in the groin several times. His hand loosened from around her wrist and she managed to get up from beneath him. She crawled away and began to get up on her feet when he tackled her down. The pouch that contained her jewel shards fell from her neck and some fell out in from of her. Kazuni sat on her as he reached over her head to pick them up. 

"So you're the bitch that has been stealing shards from all those demons. My reward for capturing you will be great. But first, I'll take you now before all those other demons get a chance to make those dreams they gave you a reality." 

Fear took over her, making her go still as the color drained from her face. Where was Sesshoumaru? Why hadn't he come for her? Hadn't he heard her cries for help? He was to close not to have heard. She began to struggle again, kicking wildly and screaming louder as Kizuna pocketed the shards in his kimono. 

"Damn you wench! Shut up! I can't stand you screaming!" His struck his hand with more force than he intended, making her unconscious. 

It was then that Sesshoumaru stepped from the shadows. "That is enough." 

"You didn't tell me she had the shards, that she was the one everyone is looking for. I think I'll take her shards, take her body until I'm through then kill her." 

"You were told to frighten her. I do not remember giving you permission to strike her, much less take the shards from her. You'll die for your insolence." Sesshoumaru's hand struck out and in an instance, Kizuna was spilt into pieces with his whip. 

* * *

  
She came to slowly, closing her eyes from the brightness of the fire in front of her. When she was able to open them, she found that she was in a cave her half naked but for the bottom portion of her nagajugan. She sat up quickly in a panic, feeling her sore body protest from the movement. 

She heard a voice, deep and familiar. "Calm down, you are safe." 

She turned to find him siting behind her, his back rested against the cave. Those eyes peared at her with unconcern, but relief swam over her and a smile lit her face. "Sesshoumaru!" She launched herself toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her head just below his armor. But she quickly realized her mistake and backed away and bowed before him. "Forgive me." 

Saying nothing, he rose and fetched her clothing. He kept his back to her as she dressed. As she did so she reflected over what happen earlier that day. She did not know how long she had been unconscious, but she did know that Sesshoumaru was closer enough to rescue her sooner. 

"What took you so long? To save me..." Her voice was low and quiet, as if to hide the emotions he heard mixed with it. 

"If I recall correctly it is my job to save you from the demons you stole shards from, not from some rabid demon who cannot control himself." 

"I see." 

He did not like the tone of her voice. Was it pain he heard there? He turned to face her, not able to see her face as she held it down. 

"So you watched as he..." Her voice shook. "...that demon tried to rape me?" 

"It is your own fault. You should no better to wander around in heat and smelling like all the sweet smelling flowers in the world." 

"My fault...?" She whispered. 

"Besides, now you have a taste of what it feels like to have upset the demon world. They will not take lightly how you have offended their race. You derserved what you got." 

Her body began to shake at his comment. The wind within the caved picked up and her hair twirled around her face. The air became thick with a terrible smell, so terrible that Sesshoumaru began to cough and cover his nose. She rose quickly and walked toward the cave entrance. 

"Where do you think you're going?" He reached out to stop her. 

His hand was blown back with a gust of wind and an even stronger scent. "Because of you...my pure body has been defiled. I may still be a virgin but what God will want a body that was touched as if it were that of a whores? Thats what you wanted...all because you could't stand the way you reacted to a human." He saw her eyes for a moment, saw that they were empty as if they were possessed. "You don't deserve..." She cut herself off quickly and walked away. 

* * *

  
She returned much later that night and quickly fell asleep. She spoke as she slept, begging for someone to stop. She awoke quickly and Sesshoumaru felt her eyes on him as he pretended to sleep. Then he heard her weeping, painful broken sobs that did something to him inside. 


	7. Double Trouble

Theft Through Seduction - Double Trouble 

She did her best to speak to him only when necessary. She was determined to forget what had happened, what he had allowed to happen. She had almost forgotten that all demons were horrible creatures who wanted nothing more than to inflict pain on the weak. Isn't that the reason why Sesshoumaru wanted Tetsuaiga? He would steal his hanyou brother's sword and kill him with it because of his inferiority to him. Yes, demons were indeed horrible creatures. But she was wasting time dwelling on the obvious so she put her mind back on the task at hand and continued to walk. She wanted to get this next jewel shard before sunset so she had to hurry as it was quickly moving north. Sesshoumaru and Jaken were not far behind her but she pretended they weren't there. 

Sesshoumaru said nothing as Asami increased her pace. The girl's mood had been changing more often than he would have liked. She may not have directed it toward him, as it was obvious she didn't care to speak to him, but he could sense the changes in her mood. Just now he was reminded of what he sensed the day she emmitted that horrible smell. For a moment he thought that she might explode again until he sensed her calm down. Her behavior had become more and more strange since the day she met Kizuna. He knew that she was not pleased with him and he did not care. He felt she deserved what she got for her actions. Still, he could not forget the way her fear wrapped around him as he watched or the way her voice sounded when she learned he hadn't saved her on purpose. The thought of it now made him regret his actions for a fraction of a second before he let it go. 

When they approached a river he stood in the distance under a tree and watched as Asami refreshed her thirst. She had said that she wanted to retrieve the jewel shards she sensed before sundown but he doubted they would. He wished that she would hurry for the more time he spent with her, the less he minded that she was there. Human company was something he could live without and was looking forward to parting ways. 

"Sesshoumaru. Do you sense anything different about this area?" 

He remained silent as he scanned the area, cursing himself for letting _her_ distract him. The area appeared fine, but he could sense the slight smell of freshly dug dirt in the air. "I don't suggest that you move." 

Asami nodded in agreement. "I believe whatever we have been trailing is undergound and has caught on to your scent and thinks you pose a threat. In our current position, he is more of a threat to us than we are to him." 

With a great explosion from underground, the threat revealed itself. She was thrown to the ground by the force as dirt rose up and littered the ground. Through the dirt cloud she could not see what it was but could see the glimmer of the jewel shard. She stayed down as the dirt cleared and hoped that Sesshoumaru would take care of it. But when she could completely see, her mouth fell open in astonishment and she quickly rose to her feet. Sesshoumaru's entire upper body was full of needles. But he stood there as if he felt nothing and sent a deep glare into the eyes of the porcupine demon. It took a cautious step back, suprised that his enemy had not fallen immediately from the poison in his needles. 

Asami took a step foward and was about to speak when Sesshoumaru's whip lashed out. The porcupine quickly fell to pieces before her. She rushed forward, gathering up the jewel shard she had sensed, and stood in front of Sesshoumaru. She quickly looked up into his face, forgetting that he would never show any type of emotion, to see if he was alright. "We must quickly remove the needles my Lord. Come, come, have a drink of water." 

His vision wavered, as did the rest of his senses, but he was able to register what he saw and heard from her. "Asami...could it be that there is still some soft affection behind the cold treatment you have been giving me?" 

She froze at the question as she was about to help lead him to the water. She stared up at him as his empty eyes pierced through her. "I.." She knew not what to say to the question. She watched for a moment as he walked to the river bank, then quickly followed, taking a spot next to him as he sat. She quickly leaned over, raising one hand in an attempt to remove some of the needles from Sesshoumaru's chest. But before she could get close, he grabbed her hand and pushed it away. 

"Your assitance is not needed." In silence he began to remove the needles. 

Seeing that he was not in a happy mood from being attacked, Asami gave orders for Jaken to gather herbs that could make an antidote. She did not doubt Sesshoumaru's ability to fight the poison but with the obviously large amount injected into his body, she thought it would be best to take something to fight it. She watched in silence as he removed the needles, noting that his hand began to tremble. Saying nothing, she gathered some flowers and recited a spell. The flowers took shape in the form of a pot. She filled it halfway up with water and began to make a fire. As she placed the water of the fire, Jaken returned and quickly handed the herbs over to her. As he fussed over his master, Asami ground the herbs and placed them in the water. Rising, she picked some berries she spotted when they first arrived and squeezed their juices into the pot. For a final touch, she added a drop of the porcupine's blood. 

"I hope you do not think that Sesshoumaru-sama will drink that! How dare you try to give something so disgusting to him." 

Asami merely stirred her concoction, knowing both demons were staring her down. "He will drink it, if he wishes to heal faster." 

"It is your fault this happened in the first place, stupid girl." 

"You are annoying me Jaken." As she spoke, she brought the pot to Sesshoumaru. 

He stared at it and her, his breathing abnormal. He could feel his body fighting the poison but it was taking longer than he would have liked. Still, he did not care for her assitance. But she stayed where she was when he turned his head in rejection. He could almost hear her silent plea for him to drink it. 

"Please my Lord, drink this and you will at least be well enough to continue to walk. Your own body will do the rest. Trust me for once, as I trust you." She sat the pot next to him and rose to put out the fire. She took one last drink from the river and walked to the tree where he had stood to wait. 

As he walked past her, he handed her an empty pot. 

* * *

  
It was dark but for the small candles that were hanging in the halls. A man in front of her led her down the quiet hall as another walked behind her incase she tried to run. She wore a white kimono, tied with a loose sash. A traditional outfit she learned the Lord of the castle requested of his women. She was being led to the disgusting creature now to be his for the night. When they reached his door, the man in front of her slid it open. Her body froze when she was told to enter and the man behind her pushed her in. She fell to her knees and bowed before the Lord, trembling. 

"Lord Shenlong, your woman for the night." 

"Leave us." Shenlong walked to the girl, knealt before her. She jumped when his hand came down to her shoulder. "I will not hurt you if you obey me." He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head up so he could see her face. She was perhaps the most beautiful woman that had been sent to him in some time. Certainly this woman would satisfy his tastes. Pleased, he rose and went to sit on his futon. "Undress and let us begin. If I am pleased with your performance, I will make you my wife." 

The girl rose slowly, keeping her eyes locked on his. She made her way towards him as she spoke. "My Lord, I can garuntee you will be pleased with my performance. Your best will be your last." Asami let a wicked smile spread across her face as the man collapsed. She knealt down before him and recited a spell to repel the demon that had taken over the humans body. Then she was gone with the jewel shard in hand. 

* * *

  
Miroku turned to Kagome in question. "Are you sure you sensed a jewel shard here?" 

Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku and Shippou hid in the bushes near the castle where the shard apparently was. But strangely, when they approached the shard disappeared. Inuyasha tried to contain his anger while Kagome tried to figure what had happened. 

"I'm sure of it. It just suddenly vanished. This isn't the first time something like this has happened." 

"This is very strange. Do you think we should go investigate?" 

"Yeah." Inuyasha rose. "I'll make someone in there explain." 

"Wait Inuyasha, look." Kagome pointed to a figure that slipped quietly from one of the rooms and made its way to the forest. 

"Something ain't right about that." Inuyasha made his deeper into the forest, intending to cut the person off. What was a girl doing running off into the forest alone at night? If his nose was correct, this girl didn't spend too much of her time inside. She smelled of thousands of wild flowers. So what would she be doing inside a room where Kagome had sensed a jewel shard? He smirked, determined to find out as he landed in front of her. "Hey, you got a minute?" 

Asami stopped as Inuyasha landed before her. Shit! How could she be so careless? She had almost completely forgotten about Sesshoumaru's brother and his jewel shard seeing girlfriend. Remain cool, she told herself. Sesshoumaru would not come for her now and reveal to his brother that he was aiding a female human. She would have to escape on her own. 

"Is there something I can help you with?" 

"Yeah, tell me what happened to the jewel shard. And don't lie to me, I saw you sneaking out of the room where it was." 

She glanced behind Inuyasha as his friends appeared behind him. So a confrontation could not be avoided. Well, she could at least try to warn them against another. "Oh, you mean these?" She removed her pouch from her kimono and dumped the shards into her palm. 

Kagome gasped loudly along with her other friends. "All those jewel shards, I didn't sense them before!" 

"I made this pouch to hide the aura of the fragments. Now, I've admitted to you that I have a few jewel shards so-" 

"A few! There are at least 10!" 

"Don't be rude, I was speaking. Just forget we ever met. This is your first and last warning, do not come after me again." 

Inuyasha pushed Kagome down to the ground and covered her head as they were bombarded with flower petals. When they cleared, Inuyasha quickly got up and scanned for the girl. She was gone and so was her scent, but if he sniffed around carefully... 

"Shippou sniff around for her. Having all those shards is dangerous, especially if Naraku gets his hands on all of them." 

"Didn't seem like she was using them for herself. What if she is collecting them for Naraku?" 

Inuyasha turned back to glance at Miroku. "Let's hope that isn't the case." 


	8. The Secret's Out

Theft Through Seduction - The Secret's Out 

  
She stopped running only when she collided with Sesshoumaru. The impact caused her to fall to the ground as she was much weaker than he. She stood and shook her hair loose from its ponytail and dusted the dirt from her clothing. It appeared as though they had been waiting for her return. Jaken was sulking in the distance as usual and Sesshoumaru...well he was standing, ever watchful of anything that would disturb him. It took merely a look to send most creatures running from him. His face portrayed nothing but power and strength. Maybe that was why she chose him to protect her, maybe that was the reason she shouldn't have chose him. He would be hard to shake and in the end, she may actually have to give him a few shards. She hoped that wasn't the case for the shards she had now might not be enough as they had not been in her dreams. No, she could not risk that. The moon would be full again within the next few days. She would rejuvenate her powers, place him under a spell and flea. He could have her life only after she was certain that the life of her villagers were safe. 

"Asami, did you not here what I said?" Sesshoumaru stared down at her emotionless face. Her mind had taken her to a place apparently beyond his reach. But she snapped back and smiled that sly smile he had grown accustomed to seeing and bowed before him. 

"Sorry Sesshoumaru-sama, what was it you said?" 

"You retrieved the jewel shard and ran into a bit of trouble." 

Her smile turned brighter as she ran her hands through her hair to tame, not noticing the way Sesshoumaru watched her. "I wouldn't call your hanyou brother trouble. I was able to escape them easily but I fear he may not head my warning and come after me. That would be troublesome." 

"Then I suggest you hasten your search." 

Asami met his eyes then, her smile gone, and mimicked his expression. "You wish to be rid of me that quickly? Of course you do, but for none of the right reasons." She smiled at him then but it only stayed on her lips for a second. "You wish me gone because my presence does not bother you, because you do not mind that I am here. I catch you watching me sometimes, as if you were in thought. If things were different, I would have liked the idea of seducing you, especially since you would resist. That would make the challenge that much better. But there is no future for us and soon you will have your wish and I will be gone. Be patient until then, I am doing my best." She quickly tied her hair in a single braid and smiled weakly. "Let us continue since I have to much energy to rest." She turned and walked off, leaving Sesshoumaru to catch up to her. 

It took him only a moment to reach her and his expression was as she said it was. Deep in thought over the woman he did not trust. She was definitely up to something. Just a few days ago she wanted nothing from him but his protection. Now she flashed those dazzling violet eyes at him, with a smile on her face whenever she could. And she said things that he was sure most of the demons that were caught in the web of her trap would appreciate hearing. It was almost as if she had some how developed feelings for him but accepted how out of reach he was. He would of course never take a human as a mate but this woman, this Goddess, made him wonder if that was still such a horrible idea. 

* * *

  
Sesshoumaru and Asami stood high in a tree and stared below them. Inuyasha and his friends walked below them, talking amongst themselves without a care in the world. The wind picked up, sending Sesshoumaru's tail and boa to fly over her. She couldn't help how she noticed how smooth it's texture was for someone who traveled all the time. But she took her mind off of that and used the wind to scatter her scent in the direction it was going. 

"Do you think they are searching for me?" 

"It is possible." The thought of his brother following him annoyed him to no end, even if he wasn't really following him. 

She frowned and jumped off into the next tree in the opposite direction. "I don't have time to play with him. Let's see if Jaken has any leads on a new shard." 

Sesshoumaru followed, and then quickly took lead. Although her speed was no where close to equaling his, he was impressed by her agility. He was glad that he did not have to stop and wait for her, it made traveling quicker. He spotted Jaken and leapt down from the trees before him, causing his servant to scramble around like a chicken with his head cut off. Asami jumped down from the trees just as Jaken managed to trip over his staff and fall in the spot she had intended to land on. She lost her balance the moment she landed on top of the toad and fell backwards. Her eyes closed involuntarily and then she opened them to find Sesshoumaru slightly bent over with his left arm around her waist to prevent her fall. She stared up into his emotionless face, into those cold golden eyes and spoke before she could stop herself. 

"How convenient." (A/N: It is, isn't it?) She wet her lips and kept her eyes on Sesshoumaru's as he put her back on her feet. She resisted the urge to step on Jaken's head since she didn't completely despise the moment he caused her and Sesshoumaru to share. Instead she waited for him to finish dusting himself off and start talking. 

Sesshoumaru, however, was not so patient. "Jaken." 

At the sound of his name he quickly jumped to attention. "Yes Sesshoumaru-sama?" 

"What of the jewel shards." 

"Oh yes, forgive me Sesshoumaru-sama. There are none to the north. There is however a village in the east that is being held hostage. Apparently an oni has taken over the body of a master from the largest household and is demanding jewel shards in exchange for the lives of the villagers. No one knew who was sent to retrieve these jewels but it seems who ever it is may be the last hope for the village. No army has been able to penetrate through the barrier the oni has erected." 

"Is that all Jaken?" Sesshoumaru turned towards Asami who stood with her back to them now. Her whole body had tensed up the moment Jaken had began talking about the village. He could hear her heart beat faster as she struggled to calm her breathing. So this was why she was searching shards...all for a little village of human people. 

"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama." 

"Asami, why don't you tell us why this village has fallen under the hands of the oni and why you seek to save it." She went stiff at the mention of her name as if she could hide what was happening to her. "I want answers now." 

"You wouldn't understand." Her voice came out in a soft whisper that only his ears could hear. 

"I don't believe that is what I asked to hear. Jaken, start a fire, we shall rest here tonight. Asami." 

His tone was threatening and final so she sat and stared at the spot Jaken intended to build a fire. "The village has been in the hearts of my ancestors for a very long time. They have diligently given sacrifices and praise to the flower Gods and Goddesses. In return, my ancestors have tried to make their lives as pleasant as possible. And so the cycle has continued today, they give offerings to us, we make them happy; we make them happy, they give offerings to us. However, the moment the Shikon no Tama was brought back into this world, trouble arose. I have lost many friends and family to demons in search of power from that jewel. One day while I was gathering herbs to make medicine, an oni by the name of Akazukin appeared. He had come across a single fragment of the shikon no tama and decided to test his new powers on my village. And so I am left to assume that he liked his power and designed a plan to acquire more. Of course he was not willing to endanger himself and risk losing the one shard he has in his possession so that is where you and I come in." 

"Why is it that the powers you have now are not sufficient enough to stop him?" 

"They are, but my first attempt failed. He has been cautious about them since and I found myself obeying his command in order to protect the lives of those villagers." 

"All this trouble for humans." 

She rose and looked down at him with a look of betrayal and hurt on her face. "You would say that but because you do not have a compassionate heart you would not know what it is like to see those you care about in pain. I will do anything to save them..." 

"Fool, you should have asked me to destroy him instead of protecting you. It would have saved both you and I a lot of time." 

"And risk the lives of those innocent villagers because of my retaliation? Never. My orders were clear. Return with jewel shards and he would not kill the villagers. Any other act would result in immediate destruction of the entire village. Why am I trying to explain this someone as heartless as you? You will forever be alone because of your lack of emotion towards demons and humans alike. If this were a village of demons you would still feel the same. It is futile to try to get you to understand." 

"I understand that you are letting your foolish feelings guide your life." 

"You are the fool for rooting feelings from your life completely. We shall depart for the village tomorrow, since we are so close. Once I reach there safely you shall have your shards. The sooner I we part ways, the better. I do not wish to spend my days with someone so heartless." 

  
A/N: The story is winding down now and in case you haven't notice, most of the main characters in this fic are characters I created. Hope you guys don't mind to much. It is just my way of setting up for the sequel. It'll all make sense in the end, trust me. Thanks for the reviewis! 


	9. The Oni's Deception

Theft Through Seduction - The Oni's Deception 

  
A red blur swept quickly through the forest, a black blur not far behind it. It easily dodged trees and bushes, gave no heed to any creature that was in it's path. It stopped only a few times to trace the scent of the trail it was on before taking off again, it's speed just as great. It was on a mission that involved someone unworthy of it's attention. And Inuyasha strongly believed that Sesshoumaru was unworthy of his attention. 

The girl they had encountered with a handful of shards was hard to trace. But she made a mistake in traveling with his brother. Anywhere he caught the faintest scent of that wildflower smell, he also caught the scent of Sesshoumaru. Now both their scents were becoming stronger as they traveled farther east. He was suprised Sesshoumaru let the girl be so careless, but he was more suprised that he would rely on a human girl to gather shards for him. But Inuyasha reminded himself to be greatful that the shards were not going to Naraku. 

"Hey, Kagome. Do you sense any shards?" 

"Nothing." 

"I wonder how it is possible to hide the shards aura. But both her and Seshoumaru's scents are getting stronger. We're getting closer." 

Miroku glanced over at Inuyasha as he set his pace to his. "Do you think they are leading us to them purposefully? If Sesshoumaru were to get his hands on a shard and a human arm, he will try to take Tetsusaiga from you again." 

"I don't care if they are leading us and I will cut him to pieces if he tries to take Tetsusaiga again." 

"Miroku, didn't he say that last time?" Shippou looked into Miroku's face curiously, waiting for an answer. 

"I heard that Shippou!" 

Shippou covered his head with his hands and let out a squeal of fear. Miroku quickly slowed his pace before Inuyasha could release some of his anger on their little friend. "Best if we hurry Inuyasha. If they find out we are trailing them, they will try to loose us again." 

"Then hurry up and let's go!" He quickly sped up, leaving Miroku to try to catch up. 

* * *

  
At night, when the winds died down to almost nothing, the river was calm. With nothing to push it's water faster downstream, the water seemed to leisurely float where it knew it would end up. It was at this time of night when the river was the quietest. It was why she chose to perform her ritual on the shore this night of the full moon. She did not need to look up in the sky to see how bright and beautiful the moon was, she had only to glance at the reflection as it wavered in front of her. Stars blinked quietly on the waters surface as well as in the sky. She wanted nothing but nature to calm her. 

And she needed to be calm. She could not waste any of her energy on her emotions. Morning would not be an easy so she needed the calm before the storm. She was so close to the village and it was very obvious. There were signs of her ancestors every where around her. Flowers bloomed where they may not have bloomed before, the air smelled sweet and there was not a restless soul to be found. It was exactly how they lived, peaceful and calm. She would use what was around her to become stronger. 

In the morning she would make Sesshoumaru fall to her magic. Even if she had to use a shard of the shikon no tama, she would make him fall. He would not get any of her shards, that was the plan from the beginning. She knew everything that had to be done to escape Sesshoumaru and save her village. Now Asami moved into the first step and began her ritual. 

* * *

  
_"Asami."_ Sesshoumaru stood in the distance under a tree, slightly hidden by night and its shadow. He found himself watching and thinking of her again. Somehow with her strange behavior, the girl had managed to envoke some emotion in him. The way she smiled at him as if he was the only thing she saw. The way she respected him as if everything around him was unworthy of his presence. She cared for him when he thought she despised him. She trusted him even though he would not hesitate to kill her if she crossed him. Her behavior was dangerous and it was already too late. He _felt_ something for her, towards her. He couldn't decided what it was. 

He had decided that now he trusted her even less because he was beginning to feel emotions. That was a problem. If he had feelings, he would be weak against her powers. He did not like weaknesses. So he watched her carefully, studying her, trying to guess what she might do. He wanted to trust that she would not do anything to make him kill her. But it was unfortunate for her that he did not fully trust her. 

* * *

  
When the sun rose, Asami did not rise with it as she had intended. Her body was suddenly over come with sleep and despite her will, she gave into it. When she finally forced herself to awake, her head was pounding. But she continued her journey to the village, hoping the headahce would leave her before they arrived. Now the sun was high above their heads and she was forced to sit down as the pain worsened. She could almost feel Sesshoumaru's angry eyes on her as she held her head in her hands. Her magic would never work on him if he did not calm down. Why were things going to horribly? 

"Sesshomaru-sama says drink this." 

Asami looked up to see Jaken holding a water jug out to her. She turned, looking for Sesshoumaaru only to find that he was no where in sight. Frowning, she took the jug and drank. She wrinkled her nose at the disgusting taste and handed the jug back to Jaken. "Where is Sesshoumaru-sama?" 

"He went to see how close we are to the village. He said to wait until he returned and be ready to leave whether your headache is gone or not." 

Asami nodded, hoping that Sesshoumaru would not find the village or get some idea of where it was. He would know exactly where to find her once the spell wore off. That could mean trouble for her and maybe even the villagers. 

But trouble had already arrived. Inuyasha crashed through the trees, his friends not far behind him. Inuyasha looked pleased with himself and stood gaurd, ready for anything she might try. The girl and the little fox demon sent her a weary stare. Miroku took it upon himself to spark a conversation and walked to the girl, taking her hands in his. 

"Please do me the honor of bearing me a child." 

Asami blinked then smiled at him sweetly. "It would be my pleasure handsome monk." She pulled her hands from his as he fell to the ground. She laughed, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. "Some monk he is, giving in so easily to his lust. Never has someone succombed to my magic so quickly. It only took a touch and a smile." She laughed again, greatly amused and pleased her headache had disappeared. 

Shippou sent Miroku a disgusted look. "Miroku is such a sucker for women." Kagome nodded in agreement. 

"Just for that." Inuyasha unsheathed his tetsusaiga, held it out in front of him. "Just for that I won't go easy on you. Give up the shards or I'll rip you to pieces." 

"I warned you not to come after me. I have better things to do and plans for these shards. Jaken, take care of them while I catch up with Sesshoumaru." 

Reluctantly Jaken step forth, his staff in hand. He lifted it up and brought it to the ground, releasing a stream of fire from the old mans mouth. Asami took this oportunity to take leave and turned in the direction of the village. She took one step when she saw Inuyasha's blade crash down in front of her. She quickly jumped back and landed behind Jaken, then hit him over the head with all of her might. 

"You really are worthless." 

"Kagome, Shippou. Make sure that toad doesn't try that again. You!" Inuyasha held is blade toward her. "For the last time hand over the shards." 

"I am afraid she cannot do that." Sesshoumaru stepped into the clearing and wasted no time in attacking Inuyasha. His whip lashed out, forcing Inuyasha to jump back. Then he rushed at him and began to fight. 

Asami watched for a moment as the brothers battled, trying to think of some way to escape. This may be the opportunity she needed to escape. In their distraction, she could slip off to the village with all the jewel shards in hand. But first, she had to distract the girl. She waited until both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were a good distance away from herself and the girl. When she saw her opportunity, she quickly hurled Jaken at the girl and dashed off into the forest. 

"Kagome!" Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at her, glad she was able to move out of the way before Jaken collided with her. "Hey, Sesshoumaru, looks like your friend is trying to escape." 

"Is that so." Sesshoumaru stepped to the side as Inuyasha lunged forward. He moved quickly and appeared in front of Asami. As she moved to hold out her hands, he anticipated her attack and lifted his hand. As he was bombarded with flower petals he destroyed them with his poison. 

Asami fell to the ground, her hand over her mouth as she coughed from the poisons affects. With half open eyes she saw Sesshoumaru's angry face as it loomed over her. Fear sliced through her as his hand reached out for her, but she was unable to move as his hand tightened over her throat. 

"So you would betray me, Asami. Were you planning on giving all the shards to the oni Akazukin? Too bad, now you die as will the villagers." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the girl as she laughed. And she continued to laugh even as his hand tightened on her throat. 

When she spoke, Sesshoumaru heard another voice mixed with hers. "Foolish demon, the villagers are already dead. But Asami, she is safe with me." Asami stared down at Sesshoumaru, a wicked smile on her face, her eyes empty and hard. 

Sesshoumaru dropped her in realization. The girl was a puppet then, much like the ones Naraku used. Though she was being controlled by the oni, it appeared as though Asami was acting of her own free will. He wondered how that was possible but understood the entire scheme. Perhaps through her grief over losing her villagers the oni was able to take control of her body. Seeing her potential, he used her beauty and her magic to collect more jewel shards. But he made a mistake in getting Sesshoumaru involved. 

The pouch around Asami's neck loosened and flew into the air and disappeared into the forest. Miroku came too and stared at the girls frightful laughing form as the others did. "Thank you Sesshoumaru for helping her gather more jewel shards. And thank you Inuyasha for showing up. I was starting to think that your brother would never succomb to Asami's magic but thanks to your interference, I found an easier way to get all the shards to me." 

"Akazukin. How was she able to appear so real since you were controlling her?" Sesshoumaru stared blankly at the thing that was not really Asami. 

"It is a simple matter really. If I had used just my hair to make this puppet, it would have been me you see before you. But I used a fraction of her soul as well as a piece of her hair and created what you see now." He let out a proud laugh. "Say goodbye Asami and return to your body." Her eyes blinked and returned to the original violet color. She looked down at her body as it began to crumble and fade away. She raised her head and focused her sad eyes on Sesshoumaru's. "Forgive me...Sesshoumaru-sama." Then the body was gone and the soul flew into the sky. 

  
A/N: Suprise suprise! The last chapter will have even more surprises. The point of this whole story shall be revealed and some things will be clarified. Hopefully I can clarify even more in my Sesshoumaru/Rin sequel. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review and let me know what you think. 


	10. Illusion

Theft Through Seduction - Illusion 

  
With the remarkable speed gifted to him as a full youkai, Sesshoumaru easily trailed the small portion of the soul that was Asami's. It would, he was sure, lead him directly to the village where the oni hid. And once he arrived, Sesshoumaru would see to it that the oni would regret getting him involved. He would cut him to shreds. 

Sesshoumaru would grimly admit that the false Asami had fooled him. He wondered vaguely if the puppet was even anything like Asami's true nature. The oni's plan was brilliant, he also had to admit. Stay behind the scenes while someone else gather's the shards of the shikon no tama for you. But his mistake was getting Sesshoumaru involved. Did the only really believe that Sesshoumaru would give up the shards so easily after protecting a human girl? It was insulting to his name to even be seen with a human much less protecting one. The oni would pay for blemishing his name. 

But when Sesshoumaru reached the village, he realized that the oni had more than blemish his name. 

The barrier that had been erected by the oni was gone and Sesshoumaru could not sense any demon presence in the area. But how could he when his senses were bombarded by the results of the destruction the oni had inflicted upon the village? No one home was left standing. The frames of wood that had been built to shelter their inhabitants from the forces of nature were crushed into pieces that would be perfect for a small fire. Others had been burnt down into a pile of ashes. The ground was littered with the dead men as their flesh began to rot in the glory of their full armor. Arrows and swords were no match for this oni. No living thing was spared in the oni's wake. Women, children, animals. Their old blood and rotting corpses filled Sesshoumaru's nose as he walked through the village. 

Only one house was left in tact but in poor condition as if a small battle had been waged to protect it. He assumed that the village master had lived there, that the oni had made it his new home. That Asami was inside. 

Sesshoumaru entered the house with the small idea that he could be walking into a trap. Without a care or worry he preceded through the halls, following the faint scent he had come to recognize. He entered a room that smelled of jasmine and sunlight poured through a hole in the roof. In the corner of the room, Asami lay on a futon. 

She was dressed in a kimono he had seen her wear when she performed her ritual. It fit her so well, as it was decorated with purple jasmine flowers. The white fabric that seemed to billow around her body provided a sharp contrast to her black hair. It was left to lay freely around her face that had become pale from being inside for so long. She looked fragile, as if the sunlight itself would harm her, but in that moment, with her eyes closed in sleep and her breathing calm and light, her beauty was beyond comparison. 

As if drawn to her, Sesshoumaru knelt next to her, lifted a hand as if to touch her before he froze. He was _feeling_ something again and he didn't care for it. Especially since he was in the embarrassing situation of being used by a female human and a lowly oni. But the sound of Asami's broken voice had him forgetting his anger for a moment. 

"Why did you come here...Sesshoumaru-sama." Asami turned her head, unwilling to open her eyes as it had been hard to speak. Her body had lain there, for a time she could not recall, while a part of her soul had gone into a false body in search of jewel shards. Worse yet, that part of her soul had been forced to forget the events that occurred before it was made a slave. But now that they were rejoined, both remembered that horrible day. She had gone out in search of herbs for a medicine and returned to screams of those being crushed or burned in their own homes. 

She had tried with her weak powers to stop the oni. But like the weapons the villagers had used, her efforts were worthless. And so she was captured by the oni with eyes filled with lust for power and her body. Just what, she wondered, did the oni plan to do with her once he returned from testing his new found powers on perhaps another helpless village. Perhaps if she had anything to live for, she would care. But the village was gone and her life went with it. The thought had tears come to her eyes that she didn't bother to hold back. 

"I do not know why you came here, but if you are angry with me for my actions I could not control, then I welcome the end you wish to bring me. If that is not your intention, I beg of you to kill me anyway. I do not wish to live another day in that oni's presence." 

Sesshoumaru stared down at her, his face void of any emotion. Why did her come here? His first reaction had been anger and that anger had led him here. He wanted nothing more than to kill the oni. So why had he come to Asami? She was no longer any of his concern. He would ask himself that question again, after he dealt with the oni. Rising to his feet he walked to the doorway. "I suggest you get up instead of acting like a weakling. Akazukin has returned." 

* * *

  
Unstoppable. He was truly unstoppable. With two shards of the shikon no tama embedded in each of his arms and legs, he had enough power to destroy an entire mountain without so much as breaking a sweat. And the three shards embedded in his forehead gave him more power as well. Yes, he was unstoppable. He wanted to test his powers, but the weaker demons seemed to sense how powerful he was and fled for their lives. But he spotted most of them before they could go far and with a small breath, he spit fire at them and watched with pleasure as they instantly burned to a crisp. For the others he breathed deeply until their bodies shriveled from his poisonous breath. 

With the power to decide who would live or die, he feared nothing and no one. And it was with this thought that he approached the waiting demon in front of his home. He recognized Sesshoumaru immediately and was grateful for the challenge, though he was confident that Sesshoumaru stood no chance against him. 

There was a great difference in size as Akazukin appeared to be a giant. In his giant stature he stood proudly, brown hair flowing in the light wind, a shikon shard embedded in the base of each of his three horns. His eyes were green, but a red circle surrounded them. He licked his fangs lightly as he stared down at his new opponent. 

"Sesshoumaru. It is nice to meet the demon who is responsible for helping my Asami." 

"Akazukin. It is nice to meet the demon who would rely on a human woman to increase his powers." 

"If you are trying to insult me, it isn't working. I do not care how I receive my powers as long as I have them." 

"Then I hoped you enjoyed them for that short time because-- " 

"Sesshoumaru-sama, wait!" Asami rushed forward quickly, her legs aching from being so roughly used after being idle for so long. She was grateful that Sesshoumaru turned as her knees gave. She collapsed into his arms, half standing, half kneeling, as he reluctantly held her up. "Please Sesshoumaru-sama, do not fight Akazukin. He is too powerful! There are two shards in each of his arms and legs, three in his forehead. You mustn't fight him!" She looked up at Sesshoumaru as tears flowed down her cheeks. The fear in her eyes shocked him but not more than her last words. "Please Sesshoumaru-sama, I couldn't live with myself it you died..." 

He said nothing for a moment as he stared down at her in shock that his face did not show. This woman...why was she crying for him? He quickly stepped away from her, letting her fall to the ground. "Foolish girl, I, Lord Sesshoumaru, would never be defeated by such a disgrace for a demon." Turning and dismissing Asami, he attacked. 

He leapt into the air, his left hand already posed for attack. Then swiftly he let his hand strike, emitting his powerful whip. As he came down, he struck Akazukin mercilessly with his whip. But with every strike, the oni shielded himself with his arms, laughing haughtily as the shards provided excellent protection. 

Changing tactics, Sesshoumaru landed gracefully on the ground. Then in an instant, he moved forward in a blur of movement. Before Akazukin could react, Sesshoumaru appeared in front of him and was already delivering dangerous blows to his chest. 

Akazukin stumbled back, then recovered enough to bring his hand down in an attempt to strike Sesshoumaru. But the inu-youkai was much to quick for him and dodged his attack with out much effort. Still, Akazukin had anticipated where he would move once he dodged and quickly let out a breath of fire. 

Before he could react, Sesshoumaru was engulfed in flames. 

Akazukin turned away from the happy sight and took a step towards Asami before he was attacked. 

"Sakontetsuo!(A/N: Correct me if the spelling is way way off.)" 

Pain rushed up his spine as his back was slashed with powerful claws. He turned back as a red figured landed in front of him, his claws bared for another attack. Enraged, Akazukin spit out a stream of fire that sent the hanyou stumbling back. "Burn Inuyasha! Burn along with your brother!" 

What was left of some village houses now burned like torches as Akazukin set everything within ten feet of him ablaze. Rotting corpses melted down to ashes. Ashes burned away to nothing. 

Asami rushed forward, dropped to her knees behind Akazukin at the horrible sight, covered her nose to block the smell of burning death. _Everything.....gone....my village...Sesshoumaru-sama..._ "Sesshoumaru-sama..." Tears stained her cheeks, blurred her vision. She bent forward, held a hand over her heart. 

Akazukin turned to her, laughed. "That fool should have listened to your warnings, now he is dead." 

Asami lifted her head quickly, a strong burst of energy emitted from her body as her eyes began to glow brightly. Her eyes met with Akazukin's, locked there as she began to rise. "You...you won't live to enjoy this day..." 

"Damn you!" Akazukin quickly shielded his eyes, already feeling the affects of her magic. "I will not succumb to your magic!" He fought for composure, thrashed his free hand out at her, hoping to strike her. 

Her eyes returned to normal as his hand neared her, realizing she would never be able to dodge it. So she closed her eyes, braced herself for the pain and felt a rush of wind over her face. She swore she heard thunder or lightening strike in the distance and as it registered, she quickly opened her eyes. 

Relief, shock, joy, pain. All rushed through her when she stared up at Sesshoumaru as he dropped her unceremoniously to the ground. 

Inuyasha attacked again, just for good measure, before he landed on the ground. "You gotta do better than that if you want to get rid of me. Even with all those shards, I'll take you down!" He unsheathed Tetsusaiga, held it out in front of him. 

Sesshoumaru stood next to his brother, his gaze focused on Akazukin. "Inuyasha, go away. I have had enough of your interference for one day." 

"What! There is no way I am leaving with out the shards so you can just forget it." 

More than fed up, Sesshoumaru turned, struck at Inuyasha with his whip. "I said leave!" 

"Shut up!" Inuyasha blocked his attack with Tetsusaiga, then lunged forward in a failed attempt to strike Sesshoumaru. 

"Fools! I'll take care of you both!" Akazukin inhaled deeply, exhaled a stream of poisonous gas. They collided with the flames of the burning houses and as the gases burned, a stronger stench was born causing even Sesshoumaru too stumble back. 

Inuyasha covered his mouth and nose, fell to his knee as he coughed. With one eye half open, he didn't see the arm until it struck him. He flew back, collided with Sesshoumaru. He tried to get to his feet, but Sesshoumaru shoved him roughly, making him fall on his face. Before they both could stand, Akazukin stood in front of them and bombarded them with another stream of poison. 

Inuyasha saw a bright light coming towards him, wondered vaguely if it symbolized his end. As it came closer, he realized it was Kagome's arrows. It purified the poison, nearly struck its intended target. But Akazukin spotted the arrow barely in time to dodge it and Inuyasha was forced to keep his head down as it raced over him. He sat up quickly as he realized Sesshoumaru was sitting behind him. 

Sesshoumaru was halfway to his feet when the arrow reached him. But he froze as the light faded and the poison cleared. Fresh spilt blood quickly filled his nostrils as he knelt on one knee. He stared, confusion clearly shown on his emotionless face, at the girl that offered her body as a shield. "Asami..." 

She fell to her hands and knees, lifted her head and smiled weakly up at him. "I did not think...you would be a match for a miko's arrow...It is imperative that you live... Sesshoumaru-sama." She brought her hand to her mouth as she coughed, blood staining her hand. "I fear I ruined things and do not have much time to explain. Yaida." She turned, stared up at Akazukin. "My magic will break soon, there is no need to continue this charade." 

Before Sesshoumaru could speak, Akazukin changed to a formation of closely knit flower petals. They flew into the air, dancing away with a million other flower petals. His eyes traced back to where the other petals came from. The last house, the bodies of the dead, the burning houses, all turned to petals and flew away. When they were gone, he sat in the middle of the forest surrounded by trees as if the village never existed. 

A few petals swept past him, stopped in front of him and some how formed into a woman. She looked much like Asami only her hair was shorter and her eyes were green. Her kimono was the same as Asami's but for the flower decor that matched the color of her eyes. She knelt by Asami's side, removed the arrow and helped her sit up. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama...this is my sister Yaida, Flower Goddess of Illusion. Herself and I, as well as my other sisters, have much to explain to you." 

  


  


Confused? Good. I was going to make this the last chapter, but I figured the explanation needed its own chapter. It will probably be just as long, as I know there are a lot of things I need to clear up. =D But all will be revealed and you might be able to figure out the point of my Sesshoumaru/Rin pairing sequel. Sorry for confusing you! 


	11. Fate And Destiny

Theft Through Seduction - Fate And Destiny 

  
Inuyasha quickly got to his feet, his uncontrolled anger practically emitting waves from his body. "How about you start by explaining what happened to all those jewel shards?" 

Kagome raced forward, shoving Inuyasha away and knelt beside Asami. "Inuyasha! Don't be so mean!" 

Yaida sent Inuyasha a cold stare. "You do not deserve any explanation as you and your friends have caused us so much trouble. If you had not interfered by sister would not be dying!" 

"Yaida, please, calm down. We are as much at fault as they are for we did not think of some way to deal with them. We knew they were looking for jewel shards, we could have avoided such a mess if we had planned better." 

"I'm sorry sister." Yaida reached into her kimono and pulled out a single jewel shard. "The other shards were merely an illusion, just like everything else. However, it took quite a bit of my powers to create a realistic jewel shard so I had to use one for myself. It is yours now." She reached out to hand it to Inuyasha. 

Sesshoumaru's hand snaked out and grabbed Yaida's roughly, forcing her to drop the shard and let out a cry of pain. There was anger on his face so clear that even Inuyasha was shocked by it. "Explain the meaning of all of this deception or you will die with your sister." 

Asami grabbed her sister's sleeve, pulled lightly. "We shall explain, but not here, as this is not for your brother's ears to hear. Inuyasha, good luck on you search." And with that, the trio, linked some form of touching, turned into a mass of flower petals and littered the sky. 

Kagome picked up the shard and got to her feet. "What do you think this was all about?" 

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged. "It isn't for my ears to hear therefore I do not care. Let's go, we've wasted enough time." 

* * *

  
Yaida wasted no time in tending to her sister's wound as her sister did not waste time explaining herself. 

"What you know about me is true but many details have been left out. I am the Flower Goddess of Seduction and as I said, my sister is the Flower Goddess of Illusion. Along with our other sisters, we are a family of very powerful Goddesses as we have been around since the reign of even your great father. We use our magic to help those who have been harmed by these times of war. And so, in our efforts, we found it necessary to come to you." 

Asami paused as her sister finished tending her wound and dismissed her, ignoring her protest to stay. Once the petals cleared, she rose weakly and slowly made her way to the nearest tree. Upon lowering herself, she leaned back against it, closing her eyes as she felt her powers draining. It was only a matter of time... 

"Now...where was I? Yes, we found it necessary to come to you after coming in contact with a wandering soul. Saiyuki, Flower Goddess of Spirits, revealed to us that the soul belonged to a woman who had left her only daughter behind. Her soul could not pass on for fear that her daughter would die or forever be alone. She pleaded with us to take care of her daughter. We agreed and immediately went to find the girl and someone to take care of her." 

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he stared at the dying woman. Was she assuming that he, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, would take care of a human female? No, never again. 

"She needs you Sesshoumaru-sama, as you need her. I do not expect you to believe me, but time will tell. My sisters and I came to you this way in order to soften your heart. You protected me even though you had something to gain in doing so. But in the process you found that humans aren't as bad as you think they are, that you are perfectly capable of living with one in your presence even though you like to think other wise. I believe your small heart is ready for her and I am certain she will make it grow." 

"I will have nothing to do with this woman and if you bring her to me, I will kill her." 

"Sesshoumaru, when you find her, everything about your life will change. You are both in need of comfort and companionship that is what will draw you together. She will love you unconditionally and you will learn to do so as well. You may deny your fate, but you cannot escape your destiny." 

In a graceful movement that showed none of the pain she was feeling, Asami rose to her feet. "My part in your destiny was only to open up your heart, if only slightly. She knows nothing of you, but her heart will tell her everything she needs to know about you. Do not keep her waiting long Sesshoumaru and if need be, my sisters will help guide you to her." She bowed deeply before him, then rose with a smile on her face. "It was a pleasure being by your side, Sesshoumaru-sama. May you always think of me when you see jasmine..." Bowing again, her form changed to a bundle of petals, filling the air with the sweet scent of jasmine. The petals shriveled to dust and flew away. In her place, a single small jasmine bud stood. 

* * *

  
Time passed and Sesshoumaru continued his life as if Asami and her promises did not exist. After a time, he completely forgot about her and her sisters. He instinctively avoided human villages as he had always done, believing he was not avoiding them more than usual. Then one day after Tenseiga saved his life, it compelled him to let it show it's powers once more. With one quick slash, Tenseiga brought life back to a small human child. And Sesshoumaru let that child follow him, convinced that he had escaped his prophesized destiny. 

  


Well, that is it. I go to work on my Sesshoumaru/Rin fic. I don't know if many people enjoyed this fic, didn't get to many reviews. =( It's a bit discouraging so if I never actually DO the sequel...you'll know why. I hope no one is too confused, if so, I'll rewrite the end in hopes of clearing up some things. Thanks a bunch!   
Rabid Anime Gurl 


End file.
